Trackside flags and lights

[Cam]

Do you have a source to confirm there is no calibration error? To simply state that does not make it true. We can all see the lights on the dash and most of us are offering plausible reasons as to why we're seeing what we're seeing. It's plausible that the dash lights simply stayed on past when they should of turned off - and in fact that error could be on every car and every car would have had the same problem at that point.

If you had offered up some facts on calibration with perhaps a link to a map or regulations that supports it, well, that would be something.

Unless there's an investigation, we won't know. But at least have some plausible arguments so we can try to get to the bottom of this.

Edit: clarified some words

[vall]

If more than one means of signalling is used, the Supplementary
Regulations of the event must specify which of them is
regulatory.

Code: Select all

2.4.3 Signal light specifi cations
Lights may be used to supplement or replace waved red, yellow,
green, blue and white fl ags. When lights are to be used at an event
they should be described in the Suppplementary Regulations
and the following requirements should be respected:

This is from Appendix H. So, the mentioned "Supplementary Regulations of the event" should state which has higher priority, lights or flags.....

[mnmracer]

James Allen on Radio 2: (Paraphrasied) Priority is given to the flag, not the lights, he's confident that Vettel is in the clear.

[JimClarkFan]

Isn't it the point of flags to give details about the zone AHEAD? i.e. you wave yellow flags to indicate that there has been an incident in the next sector?

I don't know the rules... so only asking.

[Redragon]

Isn't it the point of flags to give details about the zone AHEAD? i.e. you wave yellow flags to indicate that there has been an incident in the next sector?

I don't know the rules... so only asking.

Interesting point here.

[Richard]

I agree with the FIA's point that the track status is determined by whatever the driver sees on the trackside, be it flag or light. The problem arises when the status reporting in the cockpit and on TV ignores the flags. That's how we end up with conflicting information.

Hopefully they'll now have lights at every marshall post with flags used as back up.

As a Moderator .... My take is that the confusion of conflicting flags and lights is a topic that has been worth exploring on this forum.

I agree the fanboy approach from both sides is not wanted which is why 3 or 4 other threads were stamped on and deleted earlier this week. This thread however seems to have avoided getting sucked into that mire, lets hope that continues.

[luicchi]

if it is a non- case then GPS MAP if FIA is not True

[Richard]

if it is a non- case then ... GPS MAP if FIA is not True

Yes the GPS map is wrong.

What matters is that a marshall is waving a green flag. There is no need for further debate on that fact.

[stfn_ger]

Yes the GPS map is wrong.

I can imagine that the map is controlled by the same input from the race control which also sets the light signals to yellow, which could be why the map ignores the marshall. Maldonado's accident was in Turn 3, while the green flag was waved after T3, so i don't see a problem here.

[beelsebob]

I would bet reasonably heavily that the reason the yellow lights stay on on vettel's car is very simple – I would bet that they are triggered by proximity a very low power signal broadcast by each light panel. The lights only go off when he passes the green light panel because that's the first light panel since the accident. I would bet that they would have gone off at the earlier marshal post if there was in fact a light station there.

[stfn_ger]

I would bet reasonably heavily that the reason the yellow lights stay on on vettel's car is very simple – I would bet that they are triggered by proximity a very low power signal broadcast by each light panel. The lights only go off when he passes the green light panel because that's the first light panel since the accident. I would bet that they would have gone off at the earlier marshal post if there was in fact a light station there.

Yeah, i was thinking the same. The light stations could have a transmitter which updates both the dashlights and the data for the circuit map.

[vall]

I would bet reasonably heavily that the reason the yellow lights stay on on vettel's car is very simple – I would bet that they are triggered by proximity a very low power signal broadcast by each light panel. The lights only go off when he passes the green light panel because that's the first light panel since the accident. I would bet that they would have gone off at the earlier marshal post if there was in fact a light station there.

Watching the various videos I also go the same impression - the dash light go on and off when the car passes the light panels.

[Tim.Wright]

About the lights, I think the explanation is quite simple. I'd guess the dash lights are triggered using the GPS information of the vehicle which is then processed to decide if its within a yellow zone or not.

Given that a. Gps update rates are often in the range of upto 20hz and b. The expcted latency for the information to be sento to race control, processed, and then sent back could be about 1 secind of delay, its possible the car travels 100-200m before the display is updated.

[Richard]

About the lights, I think the explanation is quite simple. I'd guess the dash lights are triggered using the GPS information of the vehicle which is then processed to decide if its within a yellow zone or not.

Given that a. Gps update rates are often in the range of upto 20hz and b. The expcted latency for the information to be sento to race control, processed, and then sent back could be about 1 secind of delay, its possible the car travels 100-200m before the display is updated.

I have noticed that commentators haver referred to local signalling, not GPS.

[Pup]

Though the FIA refers to it as a "GPS Marshal System".

http://www.fia.com/oldautomotive/issue6 ... icle4.html

I assume they use some type of assisted GPS for better accuracy.